His Eyes
by Liselle129
Summary: Six of the Avatar women reflect on the men in their lives using song lyrics from Jekyll and Hyde. Multiple pairings, all with canon basis and some one sided.


Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar.

Author's Note: This song is "In His Eyes," written by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse for the musical Jekyll & Hyde. I skipped the intro, though, because it didn't really seem to fit. I thought it would be interesting to explore some of the relationships in the series through a bunch of short reflections, so here it is.

His Eyes 

_In his eyes I can see_

_Where my heart longs to be!_

_In his eyes I see a gentle glow,_

_And that's where I'll be safe, I know!_

Only she wasn't safe. Yue knows Sokka blames himself for her loss, but she wishes he wouldn't. She gave herself up willingly for her people. It wasn't his fault.

Even if she had lived, they couldn't have been together. She would have been trapped into a loveless, arranged marriage. Perhaps it is better this way. At least she can check in on him now and then.

She sees him gazing up at her, and she looks down at those complex eyes that once held her captive, the last things she saw before taking on her new form.

While he sleeps, she kisses him with moonlight. She must let him go. He must let her go, too, and get on with his life. Yue knows that she will not be the only one drawn in by his eyes.

The moon does not regret.

_Safe in his arms, close to his heart…_

But I don't know quite where to start…. 

Toph doesn't know exactly when Sokka went from just an annoying, sarcastic non-bender to…something else. Of course, _he_ didn't change; _she_ did. Suddenly, her stomach flutters when she hears his step approach her or smells his distinctive scent.

Maybe it was when he got her out of the way of Aang's senseless fury in the desert. Sokka was also the one to explain that episode to her. All she knew was that Aang's voice sounded strange, he disappeared completely from even her fuzzy earthbending sense, and a dust storm came up out of nowhere. At first, she was angry no one had told her before that Twinkle-toes could turn into a raging tornado when adequately provoked. What if she pushed him too far during her lessons?

Sokka assured her that it didn't quite work that way, though he was reluctant to go into greater detail. He also told her that he would make sure she was safe. Yes, that was it, the first time she felt a glimmer of something different towards him.

Toph doesn't know what to do about it, though, so she just goes on punching him in the arm and insulting him like always. Just one of the guys, that's her. She knows he doesn't feel _that_ way about her, especially when that older girl shows up. It's impossible to miss the happiness in his voice when he greets her, probably the happiest Toph has heard him when he wasn't on cactus juice. Still, the other girl is gone now, and an earthbender always approaches problems head-on.

_By looking in his eyes,_

_Will I see beyond tomorrow?_

_By looking in his eyes,_

_Will I see beyond the sorrow that I feel?_

Mai has not seen Zuko since he was thirteen years old, and she wonders how the years have changed him. The thought of seeing him again was the first thing to trigger a genuine emotion in her in a long time. The life of a noble's daughter is excessively boring. At least fighting by Azula's side is marginally interesting.

Mai thinks it exceedingly unfair that Azula was the only one who got to see Zuko when they were chasing the Avatar. Mai and Ty Lee were stuck fighting the waterbender and the guy Ty Lee thinks is cute. Mai rolls her eyes. Ty Lee thinks everything is cute, but she even flirted with him recently! Doesn't she understand he's an enemy?

Maybe Zuko is, too, but Azula sounds like she's primarily after her uncle. Mai doesn't care about Iroh, but she is interested in Zuko. She tries to remember what his eyes looked like, so similar to his father's and sister's, and at the same time so different. There was always something there the others lacked, compassion maybe. She wonders if he ever thinks about her at all.

_Will his eyes reveal to me  
Promises or lies?  
But he can't conceal from me  
The love in his eyes._

Once, he had to leave her, and now, she has to leave him. At least, there is symmetry. His duty is to the Avatar and his sister. Hers is to her warriors and whatever refugees she is able to help. Their paths are not meant to travel together, at least not now.

They've made no promises, but she can hope that one day, things will be different. If he and his friends are successful, perhaps he will seek her out again. She does not ask it of him. If they fail, well, it's best not to think about that.

Suki gazes into his blue eyes one last time before she turns away, lips still tingling from the incredible kiss he gave her. There is genuine caring there, some disappointment, even love. She senses that this last is not entirely for her and must suppress a sudden rising of jealousy. He did not say that the person he couldn't protect was a girl, but Suki guesses it was, a very special girl.

She may never know what happened at the North Pole, and she decides she doesn't want to. Sokka has made a new beginning with her, and she can look forward to the continuation of the story. It gives her hope, and a new spring in her step.

_I know their every look, his eyes!  
They're like an open book, his eyes!  
But most of all the look  
That hypnotized me!_

She has always read him so well, his wide, gray eyes the most open and honest she's ever seen. He's worn his heart on his sleeve ever since she's known him, so Katara has to wonder why it took her so long to realize Aang was in love with her.

Now that she understands, it's obvious. Every word he speaks to her, every glance sent her way has "I love you" written underneath it. She can only assume it was her own insecurity hiding the truth from her. Now that she realizes she feels the same way, his eyes can catch and hold her in a way they never did before. They hardly even need to talk anymore; their eyes meet, and each knows what the other is thinking. It is both frightening and exhilarating, like her first time flying on Appa's back.

She looks at him now, and they move to hold each other, knowing that it is what they both need.

_If I'm wise, I will walk away, and gladly…  
But, sadly, I'm not wise. It's hard to talk away  
The memories that you prize!_

Song stands before a wanted poster, trying to convince herself that the picture she sees does not match the young man she met a few weeks ago. But the scar is distinctive, and the companion drawing of the old man leaves no room for doubt.

_They got the eyes wrong,_ she thinks irrelevantly, unable to tear herself away despite the feeling of betrayal welling up again and knowing that she will draw suspicion if anyone catches her looking at images of fugitives much longer.

The eyes in the prince's picture are cold and hard, not at all the same as the man who called himself Li. His eyes were frightened and confused, overlaying a deep sadness. They had shown concern for his uncle when he'd accidentally poisoned himself and horror at the souvenir firebenders had left on Song's leg. Now that she knows he's a firebender himself, his expression at the time makes more sense.

Song finally reads the name below the drawing: Zuko. She matches the name to the face and eyes she remembers while walking distractedly home, thinking that it suits him better than Li or Junior. Though she knows it is probably wrong, she hopes he is all right.

_Love is worth forgiving for!  
Now I realize…_

_Everything worth living for.  
Is there, in his eyes!_

Mai forgives Zuko for being a fugitive.

Katara forgives Aang for hurting her.

Suki forgives Sokka for leaving her, and herself for leaving him.

Yue forgives Sokka for moving on.

Song forgives Zuko for stealing from her.

Ty Lee forgives Sokka for fighting on the other side.

Toph forgives Sokka for not realizing she's a girl.

Because love is worth forgiving for.


End file.
